The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said that he decided to choose Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate because he is sure that he will stand by him in all conditions to rule Nigeria if he is elected next years.
Atiku, who spoke today, June 16 as he unveiled Governor Okowa as his running mate ahead of 2023 election, said that all along, he was searching for a running mate, and that he made sure that the person “must be a person who will stand by me as I confront the frightening level of insecurity in our land.”
He described Governor Okowa, who is spending his second term as governor of Delta State, as someone who is unassuming.
According to Atiku, he chose Okowa against two other persons who the PDP presented to him: Governors of Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, because he believed that he (Okowa) understood the great suffering that Nigerians are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering, understood the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide young Nigerians with jobs, hope and a pathway to good living.
He acknowledged that Okowa has been widely credited to have invested heavily in the education sector, saying: “the person must appreciate the critical importance of education in the development of modern societies so we can prepare our young people to be able to compete in the increasingly competitive and globalized world.”
Atiku said that his running mate “must understand that without security, development will be very difficult because local and foreign investors who have been scared (away) already will not return to invest in our economy.
“Let me say that the person I have chosen as my running mate possesses those identified qualities, he personifies not only the seriousness the current moment represents for our country, but also the future that our young people yearn for and also deserve.
“He is a serving governor, who has demonstrated that governance is about service to the people. I know that he will not only add excitement to our already energized campaign, but will also help to bring focus, discipline and stability to our government come 2023.
“He will be by my side as I work hard everyday to provide our people with security, revive our economy, improve education and unite our country. He has both legislative and executive experience.”
